Why Mechanics Matter

This is the post I had intended to write recently, but life got in the way. Personal life, yes, but also getting ready for my conference that was two weekends ago, NecronomiCon Tampa (which is the coolest little con I’ve ever attended, by the way).

I spoke on an editing panel called Why Mechanics Matter, and during the panel, we were all asked why we thought mechanics should matter to writers. My response?

I said that mechanics should matter to writers because if they don’t, they should. Because if even if they don’t matter to you, they probably matter to possible readers.

And, who is going to read a book that’s full of errors? No one.

The thing is, you don’t want to underestimate your potential reader.

If someone starts reading your book and they come upon multiple mistakes, you have the potential to lose that reader. And that reader could potentially stop reading your book. Or your series. That’s not what you want. You want them to continue reading, until “The End.”

This reader could even potentially write a bad review, and of course, that’s definitely not what you want. People buy books that come recommended, that are well-reviewed. Not the other way around.

So, what do you do, if you are a writer? You edit your work. Or, you hire an editor (Luckily, I am a freelance editor, and that is what I offer, my services as a copy editor or proofreader. If you feel you are at the stage where you need one, please contact me at heatherdeweypettet@gmail.com).

And, what you may ask, are mechanics exactly? The mechanics of the English language are the established conventions for using grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other technicalities like the use of numerals. These are the tools you use to put together your thoughts into written form. Mechanics are the framework for hanging your sentences on.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines grammar as “the study of the classes of words, their inflections, and their functions and relations in the sentence.”

So, that is the difference between mechanics and grammar, both of which I’d like to write about, here on this blog, in the future.

If you have any questions about mechanics or grammar, or any related subject, please drop me a line at heatherdeweypettet@gmail.com.

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